Can you complete this assignment. Must be turned into turnitin.com

Thinking like an Archaeologist  :   (Due July 13, 2014)

 

This assignment maps to the following ANTH 343 course learning outcomes: · evaluate methodologies to interpret evidence of human evolution and cultural change over time · explain the origins of food production and its implications for human organization

 

Preliminary for Option A and Option B:

Read the “Archaeological Primer”  in the Ocanneechi Town  program..  http://www.ibiblio.org/dig/

Option B:  Occaneechi Town Excavation 

 

Preliminary work:

For this Lab assignment, you will need to use the program of Excavating Occaneechi Town.    http://www.ibiblio.org/dig/     Become acquainted with each of its features.    Be sure to read the “Archaeological Primer,”

 

Research: 

On the Home Page, click on “Background”.  Then read “Archaeological Background” (Historical Background; Siouan Archaeology; Fredericks Site Discovery; Fredericks Site Excavation.)  Click on the internal links for illustration, including video clip of an archaeologist.

 

Read the introductions to “Excavations,” “Artifacts,” “Food Remains,” and “Interpretations”.   For your report, you may wish to read further in each of these areas. 

Carefully review the “Electronic Dig,”  including the “Electronic Dig Tutorial.” 

 

Background Information for the Report:  

You are the leader of an archaeological team which has been asked to re-excavate the Occaneechi Town in North Carolina.  Upon this re-excavation, you are to write a report to your fellow scientists to explain the results of your excavations.   

 

Follow the instructions of the “Electronic Dig.”  You are given a budget of $20,000.  From this, you will need to pay workers to help with the digging.  I suggest an hourly rate of $10.00 (the program suggests $5.75), but this is your decision. 

You can decide which squares to dig.   Because you have a limited budget, you cannot excavate all of the squares.   You must dig a sampling.  You may choose your square through logic and intuition, or through random sampling (done by the computer).  Both are accepted ways to determine your sample.  

 

I do suggest you not spend all of your budget on immediate excavations.  You may find that after some digging, that some interesting features are revealed.  You may wish to excavate further squares to fully uncover that feature.  Having extra money to allow this excavation may be helpful. 

 

You will want to map your excavations (a map feature is included in the program) and inventory what you have found.  This inventory may take the form of a list by square, or in a database form.

 

The Report  

 

Introduction and Methodology.  

You should explain the details of the excavation process.   You should explain how your squares were selected, how your archaeological work progressed, including budgetary decisions. You should summarize your findings. 

 

Interpretation and Conclusions:  Your report should interpret your findings in terms of the following:  a) lodging and structures, b) diet and subsistence, and c)   evidence of interactivity with other groups. 

 

In addition to your reference to your own excavations, your interpretation should also include reference to the literature (found in the program) on the background research of Occaneechi Town.   How do your findings compare what other archaeologists have noted?  How do your work and conclusions support what experts have determined?  

 

Fully support your interpretations by reference to your specific excavations (give square numbers) as well as to specific articles in the program (give full reference to the articles.)   Document all sources with in-text citations and Reference List.  

 

Appendix:.

In your appendix, include the map of your excavations, the inventory of features and artifacts. Be sure to refer to these in the body of your report.   The appendix should be attached as a separate document, as should any charts or graphics that required much memory     Please use the Word ‘table’ feature for charts. 

 

Suggestion

The inventory list may include a representative sample of artifacts.  Some areas in Occaneechi Town have thousands of artifacts.  In which case, do not attempt to list them all.  (Some students have gone to valiant efforts to record every artifact.  In a real situation, you should do this.  However, for this ‘virtual exercise” a representative sample should work.)  *Please indicate when you are listing a representative sample and how you determined your sample. 

 

You may do this excavation with one or more classmates.   Please notify me in advance if you would like to work with another student on this project.

 

Note:  The online program for “Excavating Occaneechi  Town” will not allow you to save your work within the program.  Be warned.  Some students have found the inability to save very frustrating;  others have been able to work around this situation;   I have contacted the program designers, but, at this point, they have not corrected their “save’ feature.   Their suggestion is not to turn off your computer during your time of excavation.

 

 

Guidelines for “Thinking Like an Archaeologist” (Options A & B)

        Your paper should be at least 1500 words. (Please note that the number of words in your reference list do not count towards the length of your paper.)

        Your paper should be double-spaced with one-inch margins.

        Keep your standard English straightforward. Check your spelling and grammar carefully. Poor spelling and grammar will affect your grade.

        List all documents used in a reference list at the end of your paper following AAA style.   You may also use APA style if you wish. Please indicate in your paper that this is the style you are using.

        Cite all sources using in-text citations. .

        Type your name, date, and the assignment topic at the beginning of your paper

        Save your Word document as an "rtf" file. Please do not save your document as an HTML, HTM, "doc, or ‘docx" file.  Please do not use zip files.

        If your file is too big for .rtf, of if the file is too big to post in WebTycho, please separate your report into small documents.  You may wish to place any graphics in a separate document.  You can then refer to any secondary documents in your main report.

        When you save your document, title it with your last name, option number, and assignment name (e.g., Jones, I. Option 1, Excavation of Maidu Rock Shelter.)

        Submit your saved Word document, saved in rtf, as an attachment in your Assignment Folder.

        Submit your paper also to Turnitin.com